Intel pitches 'leader' brands

Intel means business. At least that's what the chip maker hopes customers will get from its multi-product ad campaign beginning today. Intel is taking a "brand-level approach" to communicate the benefits of its technology across business operations, said Sean Connolly, Intel worldwide advertising manager.

The print and online campaign includes multi-product ads as well as standalone ads for four products: Intel's Centrino mobile technology, Pentium 4 processor with hyperthreading for desktops and the Itanium 2 and Xeon processors for servers. Havas' Euro RSCG MVBMS, New York, created the ads.

"The idea of the ads is summed up by the first ad: Intel technology is the key ingredient for business success," Mr. Connolly said. "These are our core and leadership brands for desktops, laptops and work stations."

This breaking campaign is just one more initiative in Intel's marketing portfolio. Centrino technology ads under the "Unwire" banner have been running for about a year as part of a $300 million campaign. Intel also continues its successful Intel Inside branding program. Today Intel Inside means more brands inside: Centrino, Pentium 4, Itanium or Xeon.

Jack Gold, analyst at Meta Group, said Intel has been good at handling its multiple messages, and even better at developing those different markets. "Intel needed to make the marketplace aware of the different chips and capabilities they have. ... Intel Inside alone wasn't enough."

It seems to be working, he said. Consumers looking for a mobile wireless solution tend to ask specifically for Centrino technology. Why? Because Intel spent millions in marketing dollars to link the Centrino brand with best-in-class mobile computing, Mr. Gold said.

creating demand

"Centrino got people thinking wireless and that's a big deal," Mr. Gold said. "People who buy a PC don't know what kind of processor is in there, but they know Centrino. ... Now it's hard for vendors building computers to say, `No, we'll go with AMD or another chip maker.' Customer demand fuels it, so there's pull through, too."

Intel holds an 83% share of the computer-chip market, with AMD running a distant second with about 15% in 2003, according to Mercury Research.

The campaign is specifically targeted at IT professionals and C-level executives with a tale of high performance from mobile device to desktop to server. Ads will run in general business publications including The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Business Week and Wired, as well as targeted titles such as CIO and eWeek.

Special publishing promotions will run in Forbes' June 21 issue with a special Wi-Fi themed editorial pullout section, and in Conde Nast Traveler`s May issue with a 20-page Wi-Fi booklet on how the technology is changing the face of travel.